[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6305503,"mediaKeyId","2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569","parentId",2445676,"title","Votes at a glance: zoning changes, home rule petition and confirmations approved by Somerville council","audioSeconds",513,"startMs",10958000,"endMs",11471000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569&start=10958&end=11471","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569/thumbnail_10958000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6305503/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-zoning-changes-home-rule-petition-and-confirmations-approved-by-Somerville-council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305503-71a89be3e8442f7424fe1a792cdedb63/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157730&Signature=jR0f0X4IvkhHezdAwjucnF3YQXFpYMBXRJN3ADPl0rA4J~lj2ov3hwXe~2IAkSqZV4k1JI7Zu-4YFDZuWTiO35b-pqSlHhr-DTJtPH0O4k1sa7a7C1rTv5Dj8Cat2NWzXWyrUdmmlKd6~A5kt1OXUExiEPuA-IZwQmz2pk887MTWNFdRhNXBkjVBqU0u7kzxGnMzWDw0aedyBmS~LCg5NqKVXIimPsJ0IQl9~iDHhpMC7T6wQtG5-~IVT9G50xxBeo-arcLYg4vMnbDeNWVJNlIh3AupVYFBBSH44Clft2sSayRNSVHVO4rrJxCprEyKNutxLJvdZ0UUHgwas6~ulA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville City, MA","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","The Somerville City Council on Feb. 25 recorded several final actions and roll-call votes. Key approvals included zoning amendments, a home-rule petition and confirmations of municipal hires.

Zoning and ordinances
- Amendment 24-1447 (section 3.2.6): Amend the zoning ordinance to allow Neighborhood Residential (NR) building types in Urban Residential (UR) zones. Enrolled and ordained: roll call recorded 10 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent.
- Amendment 24-1448 (sections 2.1 and 11.1): Amend zoning to improve bicycle parking regulations and requirements for new development. Enrolled and ordained: roll call recorded 10 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent.

Home Rule Petition
- 25-0213: Home rule petition to prohibit landlords from passing realtor/broker fees onto tenants. Approved by roll call: 10 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent. The measure will be forwarded to the mayor and the state legislative process consistent with home-rule petition procedures.

Personnel confirmations and other approvals
- Police appointments (multiple items): The council confirmed several police officer appointments (items 5.1, 5.2, 24-1761, 24-1763). The clerk noted paperwork outstanding for some firefighter appointments and those items were tabled for later consideration; police confirmations on the agenda tonight were approved as read.

Process notes
- Roll-call tallies were recorded on zoning and the home-rule petition where the clerk read the vote results into the record. Several other routine items (grants, citations and communications) were placed on file or approved without recorded roll-call votes.

Documents and next steps
- The ordinances that were ordained will be codified and posted by the city clerk; the home-rule petition will be transmitted to the mayor for forwarding to the state legislature as applicable. Committee follow-up was requested for implementation and reporting where relevant.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Somerville City Council on 2025-02-27","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Somerville City Council approved zoning amendments allowing certain neighborhood building types in urban residential areas, updated bike-parking rules, a home-rule petition to ban passing realtor fees to tenants, and several personnel confirmations; vote counts recorded where roll calls were taken.","taxTitle","Somerville City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4564,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305508,"Council reaffirms Somerville as sanctuary for transgender and gender-diverse residents",387,9603000,9990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569&start=9603&end=9990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569/thumbnail_9603000.jpg","/articles/6305508/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Council-reaffirms-Somerville-as-sanctuary-for-transgender-and-gender-diverse-residents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305508-fc6cad339c1b2879416321c4996fa6ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157730&Signature=LlvJw4LeZ4YcZr6Wg7jceYuipKPccI5-PVJsWR1lABh~dmFBwpV23RibWpjV4YxKJ6tJ0bwVjqqnaeHvsU2WNzjJxyvKEXlLKear8KxKxxb9mLR24lu7ThHpELzAvqB-5Hscm5anPRt4s0qZ9HUiMmKIGDRd4852Jo2G8dQ3TZZQoDULYqFP8sT75poBOi0MQLI5BepCYltG1xnB~DD7C6IhoNmNgMhcfld51U6uYyFCUlWa1H4Fy3h3NBvI3pORC4M~iMWZsnbrTOv9ZeA7Dea4MbQo5hgiK8wbRML2y9H0Atw8-7oH-8~AokQWjNNp0R4YsTewKB6oWKqXsLtMYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville City Council introduced and approved a resolution from Councilor Strezo reaffirming the city’s support for transgender and gender-diverse residents and declaring Somerville a place of safety.

Strezzo framed the resolution as an explicit statement of values and protection amid “attacks” on transgender communities. Councillors including Councilor Burnley and Councilor Scott noted prior Somerville actions — including a 2023 council resolution and a school committee resolution distributed to schools — and praised the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition’s advocacy. Councilors agreed to sign on; the resolution passed and was placed on file.

The resolution restates commitments to protect access to health care, housing, education and employment without discrimination and states that the city should not cooperate with federal or state policies that would harm transgender and gender-diverse people. Councilors also discussed potential follow-up measures, including a separate communication about legal-services stabilization and identity-document assistance being advocated by local advocates.","Councilor Strezo’s resolution affirming protections and declaring Somerville a place of safety for transgender and gender-diverse people was introduced and approved by the council; multiple councilors noted existing city and school committee measures and pledged further action.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305512,"City presents citywide parking and curb-use study with recommendations to reallocate curb space",1787,6661000,8448000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569&start=6661&end=8448","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569/thumbnail_6661000.jpg","/articles/6305512/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/City-presents-citywide-parking-and-curb-use-study-with-recommendations-to-reallocate-curb-space","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305512-103fd77133b5c529401382ffd8608e35/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157730&Signature=Sbvonb1ZWrjIVKgI0gunI2F1h8OVfi9eaFCVgfdsWbB1S2nezLOu3JTZt7IyVEuU771kA-2rxQBmntZvePHb1E~Bz1qBzSf66T5jkxtMck1FbrPOHyxz-WS08wQpi3L9ty1R6xA1uXpMoC-fPpOTz5Vtdq0vcykdPBMQc9w8P47mC0mEjkoCV9HBuHRg4AxlHZ5g9-zru50yDNX-fsQeqdo8CARILL1egqVVKlGIGlxUBEcmI~4-MDtNLBAOc1WfG9Z~RPMi~Yz-oN10cySezUXR6BaSdBHxYuaim~RVtouM9nCgt-eKufZLUOo3thAr8vPJIgtozVzEPvDJVeEg0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Somerville City Council received an update from the parking department on the citywide parking and curb-use study and attached recommendations. Director Renfrid described the study as a “living document” that inventories curb use citywide and proposes a menu of strategies to meet the city’s mobility, equity and safety goals.

Key measures presented include clarifying interdepartmental roles for curb management, using a curb prioritization framework when redesigning streets (favoring bus lanes, protected bike facilities, pickup/drop-off and loading over long-term vehicle storage), expanding protected bike lane mileage and improving loading-zone procedures for businesses. Renfrid said the city is aiming to install 30 miles of protected bike lanes and 10 miles of neighborhood ways by a target year and has already added over four miles.

The report also highlights technology and staffing needs: a project manager role was created in FY24; the city piloted automated parking enforcement cameras (SafeTick) at locations where illegal parking creates safety problems; and staff are exploring platforms to manage curb regulations and data. Recommendations include unbundling off-street parking in new developments, adding EV charging stations, formalizing parklet permitting, and expanding accessible parking in commercial areas to at least 5% of curb space.

Councilors asked about outreach methods for residents with limited internet access, ways to measure and publish unbundled parking and travel pattern reports from major developments, enforcement of bus lanes and safety on Broadway (where councilors said cars sometimes drive in bus/bike lanes), and how fire-lane and clear-corner changes affect net parking supply. The director said the study’s priorities will be implemented as budget, staffing and technology allow and the report will be sent to the Traffic and Parking committee for further discussion.","Somerville’s parking department presented a living curb-use study that recommends clarifying curb-management roles, reallocating curb space for bikes, buses and loading, expanding technology and staff capacity, and piloting automated enforcement to reduce safety conflicts.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305516,"Somerville council passes resolution backing Teamsters Local 25 in Stop & Shop dispute",273,3487000,3760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569&start=3487&end=3760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569/thumbnail_3487000.jpg","/articles/6305516/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-council-passes-resolution-backing-Teamsters-Local-25-in-Stop-Shop-dispute","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305516-17740add38b297d427ac665bc800ddad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157730&Signature=E9gpHJoUkplecyIgPFjxaAUoiaycwGqmRUiaZblu9INvoSqriOpsPyoyM99dkMTC08HgkNTU~AjsgVHtN3S9pthGZcFk9Ew0-ciq~u-NeVXjtw8O-cxW0pHAFJiL35uCz~joCyhLo9GFuHu0-P3BdXw1W4YZ4Y1ag7ZSTam5wBeUEvWVjupcHGApMzypzvGV-43EByMLEuk4N7Vuk8IMq-WGncs0GgZpflYNucnAQ7SVHxGsXA7Td9XL8VvMILPBAIIeK3pX9X6aOLJxb8lOH5W0IpL1aCiAtkER9TuoABvKvtksOirwbz7H5PCRBDhPxLJdv1341MmiPA-FhkdLSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville City Council on Feb. 25 unanimously approved a council resolution expressing support for Teamsters Local 25 in its labor dispute with Stop & Shop. The resolution criticizes Stop & Shop and parent company Ahold Delhaize for threatening to close the Freetown distribution center and urged the company to resume bargaining in good faith.

Councilor Klingen introduced the resolution, which memorialized the distribution center’s size and regional importance, said the plant employs about 900 workers and stated the council’s opposition to proposals that would force employees to accept steep cuts to health care benefits. Councilors who represent wards with Stop & Shop stores emphasized the company’s role as a grocery lifeline for vulnerable neighborhoods.

Paul Weiskill of Teamsters Local 25, a Somerville resident and member of the union’s political organizing team, addressed the council. He described the difference union jobs made in his life and asked the council to “stand shoulder to shoulder” with Local 25. Council members said they would support picket lines if the union chose to extend them and cited past solidarity with Stop & Shop workers.

The council approved the resolution and endorsed the union’s right to take action; the council’s vote was unanimous with a quorum present. No enforcement action or appropriation followed from the vote.

The resolution text (read into the record) calls on Ahold Delhaize and Stop & Shop to return to bargaining and affirms Somerville’s support for the workers and their families.","The council unanimously approved a resolution supporting Teamsters Local 25 in its labor dispute with Stop & Shop and called for the company to return to the bargaining table in good faith.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6305523,"Somerville council hears case for more permanent supportive housing",1105,2289000,3394000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569&start=2289&end=3394","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2445676-34fe4c51c61fa2c190767c1d84964569/thumbnail_2289000.jpg","/articles/6305523/Somerville-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Somerville-council-hears-case-for-more-permanent-supportive-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6305523-98514928b9eae1ee1a23b2359fbd9b9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157730&Signature=iwfy340YjpkMyb4y~y3WUvUZE~0Nu1qyAojYnJkyqhtIYmGbYNX6f80uLw~27VS5FyNDdQ2MBmWMWDIACCAiXgGEWMUi4LeIbTqZpM0M3IxLKk4HM5TrEKPeJ2OBkqGvyHrE98g-VXIkduMlRX0JKLLuECMOjgIHT9ptpisbdWsTDXoEygVSYsw71c7oPOrhMIUl-cDWJh3qwUTkRt3aKooOa2~RVY9EDso2zmUYfb83Kbrt7TJamk-HIVziNJAXr1r0qC7IRratvdbyzI1lkFVSWyiEtPxbPmVbQjKJHHbEDk3sbG1XQxXsaARvtirT8-IBQGgv6flr~Qr6ojynEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Somerville City Council on Feb. 25 heard a presentation on expanding permanent supportive housing from Joyce Tabon, CEO of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance and a Somerville resident.

Tabon told the council supportive housing combines permanent, deeply affordable housing with voluntary, on-site or closely coordinated services and follows a “housing first” model. She said evidence across Massachusetts shows supportive housing reduces emergency health care use and results in high housing retention rates — typically about 85% at one to two years — while lowering public costs for repeated hospital and emergency services.

Tabon said supportive housing targets a subset of people experiencing homelessness who have disabling conditions or repeated high-acuity need, and that capital, operating and services funding must be assembled for projects to succeed. She described several delivery models including master leasing of existing buildings by nonprofit providers and small-scale modular construction and cited examples in Chelsea, Worcester and Lynn where those approaches were used to move people out of encampments or convert motels.

Councilors asked about program management, the use of Medicaid to fund tenancy support services, siting near areas with visible homelessness and how the model addresses older residents with dementia or other high-care needs. Tabon said management models vary — some large providers do development and services; other projects separate development, property management and service provision — and that Massachusetts has been a national leader in using Medicaid to support tenancy services for people in supportive housing.

Tabon urged the city to do planning work now — siting, zoning, interagency engagement and funding strategies — so Somerville is ready to apply for funding when state or federal pools become available. Councilors directed the item to the Housing and Community Development committee for follow-up.

Tabon offered to provide additional technical assistance and training for municipal staff and councilors as Somerville explores potential projects.

The council sent the order to the Housing and Community Development committee for further work; no formal funding commitment or council vote was taken on projects or programs during the presentation.","A statewide housing advocate told the Somerville City Council that permanent supportive housing is a proven way to reduce homelessness and health care costs, and urged the city to plan and form partnerships now so it can move quickly when funding becomes available.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: zoning changes, home rule petition and confirmations approved by Somerville council

Council reaffirms Somerville as sanctuary for transgender and gender-diverse residents

City presents citywide parking and curb-use study with recommendations to reallocate curb space

Somerville council passes resolution backing Teamsters Local 25 in Stop & Shop dispute

Somerville council hears case for more permanent supportive housing